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ERECTED IN 1765. 



A HISTORICAL DISCOURSE ! 



DELIVERED NOVEMBER 15th, 1874, 



BY REV. WM. JOHNS. 




A HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 

OF FORT HERKIMER REFORMED CHURCH, 

PREACHED BY REV. WM. JOHNS, KOV. ISth, 1874. 



"I am a stranger -with tliee and a sojourner, 
as all my fathers were."— Psalm 39, 12. 

The ancient Israelites dwelt in tents. 
They were not unlike the emigrant mov- 
ing 'west, laying no claims to the land 
through which they sojourned, simply 
using the grasses and other available ar- 
ticles for their present necessities. So 
Israel lived in the days of the patriarchs, 
and moved along with their families, 
tlieir flocks and herds from "Dan to 
Beersheba,-' in tine, throughout all tlie 
land Canaan. 

lu the days of David a change had tak- 
en place. The land had been divided, 
and the tribes had settled down in their 
own inheritance, and were no longer 
"strangers and pilgrims"' as their fathers 
— they claimed the soil, were at home 
and at rest. The royal psalmist, in his 
contemplations, thinks of the fathers, 
how they lived and died, and of the fact 
that they "confessed themselves to be 
pilgrims and strangers," he finds in their 
history a lesson of instruction; their 
statements were correct; all the scenes 
in their lives were dissolving views 
which i)assed before the vision, beautiful 
for the time being, but they were dis- 
solving. So is life ; it is short and tran- 
scient. 

A tent is an apt illustration, to-day it 
is here— to-morrow it is taken down, 
laid away or pitched on some other place. 
And thus it is with the traveler, he does 
not intend to be a rover, always to dwell 
in a tent— the emigrant wagon is not to 
be his permanent home. When he 
reaches his dfstination he intends to 
build and to surround himself with his 
family, his flocks and the fruits of his la- 
bors. So the Christian— now indeed he 
is a pilgrim and a stranger, exposed to 
dangers on the right and on the left, to 
trials and temptations — many times doth 
his prayers ascend to God mid^t tears of 
inward sorrow, but he lives in anticipa- 
tion of that rest which is prepared for the 
geople of God— like Moses on Mount Nebo 
e looks across the river and sees the 
goodly land— he is cheered with the pros- 



pective future of a more endearing and 
enduring habitation, "a house not made 
with hands, eternal in the heavens." 2d 
Cor. 5 :1 

We have thought that as the psalmist 
contemplated the lives of the fathers, his 
ancestors, and drew practical lessons 
therefrom, so we might on this occasion, 
find instruction by treading in his 
footsteps, and take a retrospective glance 
of this ancient parish, the oldest in the 
valley this side of Albany— ot the fathers 
who built it and worshiped therein — and 
of the ministers who instructed and led 
them in their devotions. 

This Church has long been known as 
"the Fort Herkimer Reformed Church." 
Its corporate name is "Tlie Reformed 
Protestant Dutch Church of German 
Flatts." Such is the inscription of its 
Corporate Seal which was adopted in 1796 
and never has been changed. 

This church, like the broad acres which 
extend above and below, took its name 
from the early settlers. The "Flatts" 
and the "Germans," two simple words 
affixed together by the force of circum- 
stances — the Germans settling on^ the 
flatts. At first ' spoken of as a settle- 
ment, and subsequently as the town of 
German Flatts; so the church was called 
to conform to the settlement and subse- 
quently the town. 

The history of this clftrch, and of 
these flatts, the early settlers, ia 
thrilling, full of interest, and a wonder- 
ful subject for thought and reflection. 
How many practical lessons may be 
tound therein I IToav difiierent are our 
circumstances and our emotions to-day 
from theirs! There is no war-whoop nor 
war-trump to molest us; there is no 
danger of our friends being scalped or 
our infant being pierced through with 
the bayonet and their brains dashed out 
by a white savage. Our property will 
not be destroyed ; our families will not 
be molested. No announcement will be 
made at the door that the wary Indian 
is lurking back of yonder mound, ready 
to pounce upon us when we shall 



l^t^iCl^ 



separate from the doors of the sanctuary. 
No alarm gun will he fired to-day. — 
None of our friends will be massacred 
in our presence, and we ourselves unable 
to render them assistance. Kothing; 
of this kind will transpire. They wit- 
nessed those scenes. Our lots are cast 
in pleasant places, and we can worship 
according to the dictates of our con- 
sciences. 

Yes, the history of these flatts and of 
this Church is an extraordinary one; 
they received the baptism of blood ; 
many lost their lives by the Indian's toma- 
hawk and the Frenchman's bayonet at 
an early day; then the contest in the rev- 
olution was one which tried men's hearts ; 
their blood ran freelj'^, and many of their 
remains found repose around these an- 
cient walls. This house also was an 
asylum, a place of refuge for the inhabit- 
ants in case. of sudden incursion from the 
enemy. Many a helpless one has been 
sheltered herein; these walls have wit- 
nessed many scenes. A helpless mother 
^ave birth to her child herein, and how 
many died and were carried out and laid 
silently in their graves, none C£n tell. 
The minister, as well as the people, has 
found protection and repose here, antl 
no doubt enjoyed the consolations of re- 
ligion. How unlike tlie praj'ers ot the 
sainted fathers aie ours to-day. Ah, those 
were the days which tried men's hearts, 
but they found protection here. 

It is said tliat the lirst settlement on 
German Flatts was made by a Colony of 
Germans from the Palalibes on the Hud- 
son. Possibly they wanted more lands 
than that section afforded, or were in- 
duced to come here from the favorable 
reports concernins the land. They came 
in the year 1722— one hundred and tifiy- 
two j'ears ago. 

Among tiie names of the early settlers, 
we find Erghamer Ilarkimer, Barter, 
Fox, Woiver, Starring, Editch, Bellin- 
ger, Hans Dedrick Stelly and others, 
names which are still familiar here, but 
modified to conform to English pronun- 
ciation. 

It is said that the first church building 
erected was of logs, in the year 1725, and 
from references it is supposed that tne 
first minister was an older bi'Other ol 
Rev. Abraham Rosencrantz.as the biogra- 
pher of Rev. Abraham Rosencrantz said 
that he succeeded his brother i n the year 
17G7— the year when the builder's stone 
with the initial-s J. H. E. «:q: 1SG7, was 
placed over the old door which faced the 
north. Rev. A. Rosencrantz, V. D., la- 
bored here from 17G7 till 1794:. In 179S a 
call was made on Rev. Mr. Pick, of Stone 
Arabia. Rev- Fitch Romden, of Oneida, 
had preached occasionally before Mr. 
Pick was called. In 1S02 Rev. John P. 
Spinner was called, and his pastorate 



continued till 184S, nearlj' forty-six years. 
A singular incident occurred in the Syn- 
odical minutes — the next year after his 
death, German Flatts is left out, and 
does not appear again — four years after- 
wards the church has a new minister and 
a new name, "Fort Herkimer," and so it 
stands on the classical and Synod ical 
minutes to-day. 

Rev. J.Stark preached five years, then he 
retired to Mohawk ; then there was a va- 
cancy of four j^ears. He returned in 1862. 
In 1863 he died, and was the last settled 
pastor the church had. Rev. J. Petrie 
supplied the pulpit one year in 1864. In 
1867 Rev. J. J. Quick supplied one year. 
After that they received occasional sup- 
plies. Rev. Mr. Consaul preached for 
awliile on Sabbath afternoons. In the 
Summer of 1873 Mr. Todd, from the sem- 
inary, preached four wionths, and in 1874 
Mr. 'Hoffman, from the seminary, four 
months, which ended on the first day of 
September last. 

In the early history of the church there 
were no statistical reports required by 
the Synod — probably like many other re- 
ports, they were given verbally. But in 
the Synod of 1812, it was ordered that an 
annual report should be made from each 
church of the number of families and 
communicants. In 1814 Rev. J. P. 
Spinner for the church ofGerman Flatts, 
reported 184 families, 2o0 in full com- 
munion. Here is the first statistical 
record which we have. Rev. A. Ros- 
encrantz's records have been mislaid, 
lost or destroyed. In 1815 Rev. J. 
P. Spinner reported 156 families— con- 
gregation, 1000. Communicants, 237.— 
In 1818, 346 in communion, 32 added on 
confirmation, 35 infants baptized. For 
the next ten years the church was in a 
fiourishing condition— the number of 
families and of communicants were kept 
up and reported to Synod. 

In 1833 they were reduced to 140 com- 
municants; the church began to wane- 
other organizations were springing up— 
the churches in Frankfort and Warren 
had been organized, which doubtless 
took as many as a hundred members- 
there were internal difficulties principal- 
ly about their land— death had taken sev- 
eral of their number, and some had been 
suspended, so that in 1845 the last report 
made by Rev. .T. P. Spinner was 150 fam- 
ilies, 113 in communion. "The German 
schoolmaster had been compelled to give 
up his dei^k to the English teacher, and 
the younger part of the congregation 
were in a rapid state of transition.'" — 
Other inlluences were brought to bear — 
the doctiines of repentance and regener- 
ation were presented in a different man- 
ner in those new congregations; and 
deemed to be of more importance than 
Baptism and Confirmation or even the 



reception of the Holy Communion. Mr. 
Spinner bad also been rpjiresented as be- 
inii: a high ehurclinian. placinur too much 
stress upon forms aiid ordinances — as 
carinij more for tiie letter than the spirit, 
all of winch had its effect, so tliat in 1855, 
ton years after Mr. Spinner's death, Eev. 
J. Starks reported only 70 fan)ilies. con- 
trregation 350, S. Scliooi GO. in communion 
35, showinj^ a loss of SO families and 78 
members from the communion. In 185S, 
50faniilies, 30 S. S., and 30 communicants 
were reported. In lSG-4 Rev. J. Petrie 
reported 40 families. 25 S. Scholars- 
communicants — but there were about 20 
members left then. Conofregational pur- 
poses $100, which probably was the 
amount he received for his services. — 
Such is the record in tiie Synod's minutes. 
To-daj' it is a missionary iield. 

Tiie founders of the church were inter- 
ested in tlie support of the Gospel. On 
tne 24ih of September. 1730, Mr. Niclio- 
las Wolever deeded lot 30of Burnetstield 
patent for "church and school purposes." 
On the 2Uth day of April, 17;!3, Hans De- 
drich Stelly and others, deeded in trust 
to Peter Eemsen, lots 45, 4G and 47 on 
German Flatts, for the support of the 
minister in Lonjj Candle, orliurnetsHeld, 
in Albany county, Tliese lands were in 
trust and could not be sold— they were 
therefore disposed of by issuino^ perpetu- 
al L'^ases at an annual rentage ot one 
York shlUins per acre. 

Tlie amount of land in each lot is not 
specitied. At least there musthave been 
a thousand acres in each, as the revenue 
amounted to three or four hundred dol- 
lars annually. Xothinsr is known about 
Rev. Mr. Roseucrantz's salary. When 
Mr. Pick officiated at the installation of 
the Elders and Deacons on the 2'Jth of 
January, 179G, he received the sum of 
£4 IGs for his services, and six shillings 
for recording their ordination and in- 
stallation in the Book of Minutes, which 
certainly was a liberal sura for that day. 
The next visit he (Mr. Pick) made they 
paid him £2. Rev. Mr. J. P. Spinner 
received a salary of seven hundred dol- 
lars. But the congregation, in addition 
to the annual rentage of the lands, 
raised funds by subscription. 

In the Court of Chancery, at Utica, it 
was shown "that they raised more mon- 
ey by subscription than was paid from 
the lands." Subsequently they gave up 
their subscriptions— they' lost their in- 
terest, the congregation dwindled down, 
difficulties began to niultiplj', the spirit 
of the Master was found in only a few 
hearts — while the massesgave their souls 
and strength to the acquisition of wealth. 
And the word of the Gospel became like 
the seed which fell among thorns, 
"choked through the deceitfuluess of 
riches." 



Fort Herkimer Reformed Church is 
in the tullest sense of the term, an Old 
lia' dniark. Erected on the German 
Flatts on the south side of the Mohawk 
river, nearly opposite the entrance of 
the West Creek into the Mohawk— v/ithin 
the stockaded work with a ditch and a 
p^'-apet pallisaded, thrown up by Sir 
William Johnson, in the year 1756. — 
The present building was commenced 
under a permit granted in 1746, but on 
account of Indian troubles was delayed. 
In 1751 a new permit was granted and 
the work went forward slowly, and com- 
pleted one story high in 1767. Its di- 
mensions were 48 by 58 and 17 feet in 
height, of stone, supported with heavy 
angular abutments at each corner; the 
door was near the center of the north 
side; nothing is known of the internal 
arrangement. In 1812 there was an 
addition of seven or eight feet added to 
the height of the building. The north 
door was closed and a new one made in 
the west end. Galleries were erected on 
tJiree sides, and the pulpit with its high 
sounding-board at the east. This work 
was done during the ministry of Rey. 
John P. Spinner. A noble old building! 
i^ntique but impressive, it stands to-day 
as when erected. It has recently been 
repaired internally by its old friends; 
its walls are firm, and" will stand a hun- 
dred years longer if not destroj'ed by 
accident or the hands of wicked men 
who have no regard for the sacred mem- 
ories of past giMieratio'is. This church 
is always spoken of as the Fort, because 
it was the principal building within the 
fort as seen in the "plan and profile of 
Retrenched work around Herkimer's 
house at German Flatts, 1756." Every 
remaining vestige of the fort is gone 
excepting this house— even the well 
which afforded them water is filled up 
or lost in the Erie canal. It is well that 
the church stands as a monument of the 
past. Many events besides those we 
have already alluded to, took place with- 
in this fort. In 1756 all the inhabi- 
tants who could, resorted hither for 
protection when the land was laid 
waste by Canadians, French and a party 
of Indiaiis. Then agaui during the 
revolution, in July, 1782, this house was 
a place of refuge, when Indians and 
Tories murdered so many of the inhabi- 
tants, six hundred Indians were dis- 
covered by Peter Wolver and Augustus 
Hess. They and their families and 
others fled to the fort and were saved, 
but Hess lost his life. Valentine Staring 
was taken prisoner, and tortured first, 
then tomahawked and scalped. All the 
buildings in the hamlet were burned ex- 
cept George Herkimer's house whicn 
was within the fort; the valley was 
black with smoke and red with 'fire.— 



,4 



Sixty-three dwelling?, 57 barns, 2 grist- 
mills, and 2 saw-mills were consumed; 
235 horses, 229 horned cattle, 265 sheep, 
and 93 oxen were taken and driven 
away. 

As the death of Mrs. Eysaman, relict 
of Joseph Eysaman, has so recently 
taken place among you, we are remind- 
ed of the cold-blooded murder of tliat 
aged couple, her husband's grandparents, 
John Eysaman, and his wife; and also 
the ttrst wife of Stephen, his father. She 
had a babe at that time; some one of 
the assailants wrenched the infant from 
her arms and holding it by the feet, 
dashed its head against a tree, and its 
little limbs quivered in the agonies of 
death. Afterward it was rudely and 
barbarously thrown upon tlie ground 
then was driven a short distance from 
the spot and struck down with a war club, 
and scalped. The mother saw all this. 
Such were the horrors of the revolution. 
and the trials of those who aided in 
building this sanctnarv. Surely we 
might say again, it has been baptized in 
blood! There are other interesting facts 
connected with Fort Herkimer. A 
Council was held in this fort by Torbot 
Francis and others, .Tune 2Sih. 177^. 
with the Indians, when tlie Oneidas and 
Tuscaroras agreed to be neutral. June 
28, 1785, a treatj'- was made here, when 
the Oneidas and Tuscaroras ceded to the 
State that i)flrt of their territory lymg 
between the Unadilla and the Chenango 
rivers. 

In 1783, Col. Willetfs forces were 
concentrated in this fort to c;j.ptui"e 
British forces, but in consequence of the 
small number of troops the expedition 
failed. The first libertj'-pole erected in 
this valley was raised at Fort Herkimer, 
in 1775, and was cut down by Sheriff 
White, of Tryon county He came from 
Johnstown with a body of militia for 
that specific purpose. 

But we must pass to notice wliat lias 
been said of its minis^ters, and other 
events mentioned in tlie history of tliis 
church and congregation. Of the first 
minister nothing is known, as it is only 
said, "The Rev. A. llosencrantz suc- 
ceeded his brother."' He was a German, 
and probably came with the colonj% as 
they were about G.OOO when they left 
Germany, but many perished on the way. 
Rev. A. Eosencrantz was here as early 
as 1754. We have not seen his 
record of births, baptisms, confirmations, 
marria?,es and deaths, but those who 
have seen it affirm that it commenced in 
1 762. His field of labor was co-extensive 
with the German settlement, along the 
wholii length and breadth of the Mohawk 
valley, from Little Fulls to Frankfort. 
He was a graduate of one of the German 
upivexsities, and a scholar in all the 



branches of learning that relate to the 
ministerial oflice. By marriage he was 
connected with the Herkimer family, 
and the donations of land were given for 
his support. His family connection and 
his position as a spiritual adviser of a 
people i^roverbial for their strong at- 
tachment and great respect for the min- 
isterial oftice, gave him a great influence 
over his people. Tt-e Indians also re- 
spected him. On one occasion, when 
the people would not believe them when 
they told them that the French and 
hostile Indians were at hand, thej'- vir- 
tually forced him across the river to the 
fort;' others, seeing what was done, fol- 
lowed and were saved. Eev. A. Rosen- 
ciantz discharged his ministerial labors 
during the war of the revolution un- 
molested. In the year 1796, he died at 
his residence on Fall Hill, and was 
buried within the Avails of this church 
near the pulpit. One hundred and twen- 
ty double sleighs filled with his late 
parishioners, followed him to the grave. 

Rev. Charles A. Pick, V. D., followed 
liim. His ministry was of short dura- 
tion, and nothing is said of him except 
that he ordained the Consistory which 
formed the first board of ofticeis in the 
Corporation. 

Rev. John F. Spinner's ministry com- 
menced in the year 1802. He also v,'as 
a German by birth; was born in War- 
back, .January IS, 1786, and was dedicat- 
ed by his parents in early life to the 
ministr}^; commenced his classical stud- 
ies at the age of 11; spent the regular 
course at the university and in the 
Romish Clerical Seminary; at the age 
of 21 received Clerical orders in the 
Roman Catholic Church; officinted as 
priest and confessor 11 years. In the 
year 1800 he abandoned the Romish 
Church; married and came to this coun- 
try the following year; landed at New 
York, and soon alter received an invi- 
tation to take charge of this church ; 
commenced his labors, September, 1801. 
At that time the church was connected 
with the Classis, of Albany. It is evi- 
dent from his "Liber Pafochiles Ec- 
clecia\*' or parish book, that he compre- 
hended what was before him— a large 
book in the form of a ledgei', which he 
filled with reeords of births, baptisms, 
confirmations, marriages and deaths, in 
ten years. He had the same territory or 
bounds as his predecessor had. It is 
astonishing to note how many days in 
the month he was engaged either in 
baptizing, marrying, or burying some 
one in the jjarish. During lifs ministry 
he used three larare books for paioehial 
records, all independent of the Consis- 
torial records. Herkimer Church was 
associated with German Flatts. He did 
not confine his labors to these two 



churches exclusively, but preached 
wherever he could get a congregation — 
in Columbia, Warren, Indian Castle, 
Esquawk, Manheim, Schuyler, Deerfield, 
Manlius f>nd other places. In 1S15, he 
offered bis services to the Synod as a 
missionary to go to Canada, but the 
committee declined acceptance because 
he could not preach English fluently.— 
He was certainly an active and a zealous 
man in the discharge of parochial duties, 
and in sympathy with his people. As 
it would appear In 1836, this church owed 
him $1,324.10; and his proposition, made 
the 4th of May that year, was to give 
them one-half the amount provided they 
would secure him the other half. He 
was regarded as a good sermouizer, his 
productions able and eloquently deliver- 
ed. He exerted a happy influence over 
this charge. By those who remember 
hira his memory is cherished with re- 
spect. He died at his residence in 
Herkimer, May 27, 1848, aged 80 years, 4 
months and 9 days. His death produced 
a change in the congregation, as those 
who lived near Frankfort, Warren, and 
the Central, now known as Ilion, identi- 
tied themselves with those churches. 

Rev. Jared Starks was iiis successor. 
He was an aged man when he commenced 
his ministry here. Besides, tradition 
says, there were difficulties here then 
growing out of lawsuits which he could 
not overcome. The number of families 
and of communicants seemed to diminish 
annually; besides his salary was simply 
the annual revenue of what lands were 
left — less, probably, than one-third the 
revenue received by Rev. A. Rosencrantz 
and John P. Spinner, during the first 
ten years of his ministry. He was a good 
man, and generous; for out of the small 
amount he received he is said to have 
donated half of it back to the consistory 
to put a new roof on this house. He 
died at his residence in Moliawk, in the 
year 1SG3. The names of the Supplies 
have already been given ; as they passed 
along they preached the AYord ; but it 
is doubtful whether any other ordinance 
has been observed since the fathers fell 
asleep— whether an infant has been bap- 
tized, or a single soul commemorated 
the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus 
Christ. 

We have already mentioned the tact, 
that at an early day Nicholas Wolver, 
Hans Dedrick Stelly and others, deeded 
lands in trust to Peter Remsen; the 
rents, issues, etc., were for the support 
of the gospel. Accordingly, the rents 
were paid to Peter Remsen. He was 
the drst treasurer; but he died about the 
same time as did Rev. A. Rosencrantz, 
and meanwhile no one had been ap- 
pointed in his place. His heirs and as- 
signs either neglected their duty, or if 



they collected the money it was not paid 
over, to the great grief of the church. 
Mr. Fredrick Frank was therefore ap- 
pointed to attend the meeting of the 
Classis at Albany, to consult about what 
they should do, as their income on the 
death of Peter Remsen was apparently 
lost. Doubtless the Classis advised what 
course they should pursue, for we find 
that in the beginning of the next year, 
1797, they were organized into a corpo- 
rate body, and through tlie efforts of 
John Frank and Rudolph States an act 
of the legislature was passed, March 31, 
1767, requiriHg the heirs and assigns of 
Peter Remsen to transfer the rents, 
accounts and all things on the church 
lands to the consistory. Thus they were 
cheered again. But after awhile another 
difficulty sprung up about the boundary 
lines, and to settle this difficulty the con- 
sistory purchased eighty-six acres of 
land, at the rate of seven dollars and 
fifty cents per acre, and executed a bond 
for the payment of $645 with interest, 
five years after date. The consistory 
failed to meet the payment at the speci- 
fied time, which would have been in 
1820; but from 1821 to 1833 they paid the 
sura of $848.20, which was nearly $100 
more than the principal and interest 
would have been had it been paid at 
maturity. But there was an accrued in- 
terest of $520 which the holder of the 
bond claimed. The consistory being 
embarrassed, proposed to deed to the 
holder of the bond seventy-five acres of 
land, which by a lease he then held in 
possession ; but it does not appear that 
the proposition was accepted, for he sued 
the consistory and got a judgment, 
which, including probably, the cost, and 
the bond amounted to tne round sum of 
$1,843. To pay this, the consistory pre- 
sented their petition to the Court of 
Chancery, asking the privilege to sell 
tiieir lands to pay their debts. February 
25, 1855, an order was granted authoriz- 
ing them to sell lands to the amount of 
$2,000. Thus two-thirds of their lands 
were swept away. If, however, the 
Vice-Chancellor had known that the 
lands which they represented there as 
being their own were held in trust, no 
such order would haye been granted, as 
they had no right to alienate those lands 
from the purpose for which they were 
donated. 

Of the justice of the matter, we will 
not pronounce an opinion, but you may 
judge — as the consistory offered them 
nearly as much land as they had sold 
them to settle the difficulty. 

The next difficulty which the consisto- 
ry had to meet, was that of certain per- 
sons refusing to pay their annual rent, 
because in the grant of Hans Dedrick 
Stelly it is said that ''the minister oi the 



Gospel officiating there for the time be- 
ing (after the death of Kosenerantz) to 
be chosen by the majority of the free- 
holders actuallj' residing on the lands 
last deeded." They claimed that they 
had not been consulted when John P. 
Spinner was called. A suit was com- 
menced in the lower Courts, and carried 
into Chancer}', where tiie A^ice Chancel- 
or decided that "the freeholders, to avail 
themselves of the privilege they claimed, 
must become members of the congrega- 
tion, as tlie minister is called according 
to the practice of tne ciiurch without ref- 
erence to the question, whether the con- 
gregation were freeholders of Burnets' 
patent or not." 

And from the fact that they had acqui- 
esced for severiil years to the action of the 
consistory, ''John P. Spinner was enti- 
tled to be considered their pastor, and to 
enjoy the income of the lauds. The 
bill was dismissed with costs, so that 
question was settled." 

This seems to be the last suit which in- 
volved expense and produced bad feel- 
ings in the congregation. The only re- 
maining matter to be mentioned in rela- 
tion to these lands, is that in 1851 an act 
of the legislature was passed, authorizing 
the consistory to sell certain lands upon 
an order issued by the County Court of 
Herkimer. Several sales were made under 
this act, and the money invested, the in- 
terest to be used for the same purpose 
as the annual incomes of leases. Several 
sales were eflected under this act. In 
1870 an act was passed enabling the con- 
•sistory to record all leases, title papers, 
(fee, belonging to the church, which was 
done. 

The question has already been asked, 
how many practical lessons do we tind 
therein ? Our answer is, more ihan we 
can enumerate just now — but the tirst we 
shall mention is the debt of gratitude we 
owe to God this day, that we are spared 
from passing through the tiery ordeals 
through which the ifathers, passed— that 
this house is no more needed as a fort, 
but used for the purpose for which it 
was erected and set apart. We may not 
think of this, or agitate the qutestion 
"what are we" — in what respect are we 
deserving of these high privileges more 
than they were? We certainly cannot 
say that we are more faithful than they 
were, or even as much so, considering 
our circumstances. Tney would have 
the Gospel preached and the ordinances 
administered regularlj' — we care but lit- 
tle about them — not that they are less 
needed by us or better understood, but 
like the ancient church of Laodicea. we 
are "neither hot nor cold" — conforming 
more to the world then to the command- 
ments of the Lord Jesus. Over this mat- 
ter our tears should flow, when we re^ 



member how little for the past twenty 
years has been done for the liedeemer's 
cause in this community. Temporal 
prosperity has api^aiently sent leanness 
into your souls. 

Another fact may be meritioned, name- 
ly, that a church without a pastor is in 
an impoverished condition. Ever since 
the death of Rev. J. P. Spinner the 
church has been wasting away. True, 
the supplies have preached the (S^ospel as 
faithfully as the pastors did, but preaching 
is one thing, and taking the oversight of a 
congregation is another. Ascending the 
pulpit on the Sabbath is necessary — so is 
going from house to house during the 
week. Supplies seldom administer the or- 
dinances. Now if a church neglects its 
ordinances it has a damaging effect. — 
Christ instituted the supper because He 
knew that we are prone to forget Him — 
He would have us keep Him fresh in our 
remembrance. Yes, it is a loss for the 
christian to live without the ordinances — 
it is a loss to the community and espe- 
cially to the youth and rising generation 
— it has a tendency to lower the standard 
of Christianitv% and to make light of the 
Christian ministry. 

Another thought is that church litiga- 
tions are great calamities, especially 
when apparently, men are grasping that 
which does not justly belong to them. — 
How blighting and withering is the in- 
fluence? What a legacy of enmity and 
bitterness? It is not confined to a sin- 
gle generation, but somehow or other 
transmits itself unto the children and 
lives in spite of all elTorts to remove its 
eftects. 

But we must not overlook the interest 
taken in this congregation by Nicholas 
Wolver, Hans DedrickStelly, and others, 
who, at that early day, deeded in trust 
"for the svipport of the Gospel here" no 
less than 3,000 acres of land. This should 
certainly make an impression upon our 
minds. We have no means to ascertain 
their wealth, whether great or not. All 
must concede that for that day, it was as 
munificent as the gift of seventy-five or 
one hundred thousand dollars to-day. 
And from it we may learn that they had 
correct views of their moral obligations, 
of the higher law of love, and of their 
just debts to God and man. Most men 
have been taught to think that they have 
an absolute right to their money, that it 
is their privilege to use all according to 
their own pleasure, and no man has any 
reason to complain. Such are the thoughts 
©f the masses, because it is so in the eye of 
the civil law. So when they do anything, 
or give anything away, they take the 
credit to themselves, not considering that 
thehigher law ©f love to God and man 
has any claims on them. The law of 
unity requires that we should care for 



others as we would for ourselves. The 
Lord Jesus illustrated this thought in 
the parable of the Good Samaritan7 If a 
man has fallen among thieves, we should 
help the man and not the thieves. Too 
often men do otherwise, they take what 
the thief has left. As in the history of 
this church when one man had taken 
eighteen hundred and forty-three dollars, 
others attempted to take the rest, and 1 
was told that there are men on the 
Burnetsfield uatent.or near it, who would 
gladly, if they could, take the little rem- 
nant which is left. Property is a sacred 
trHSt. Not merely in the Banker's hand, 
burin our hands. No man should use 
his monej^ exclusively for his own grati- 
flcatio 1 — he owes a debt to God and 
man — it is a just debt and ought to be 
paid. Some are beginning to see it, and 
are canceling their debts, they are com- 
ing up to the help of the Lord against the 
mighty, and are advocating the right use 
of property. As the temperance men af- 
firm that no man has a right to make 
or sell intoxicating liquors, because 
it is demoralizing and debasing men's 
moral character. 

But to return, Nicholas Wolver and 
Hans Dedrick Stelly left us a noble ex- 
ample, they showed us how much they 
apprtciated the Gospel, enough to give 
for its support and to give liberally. And 
if we should do our duty, we would fol- 
low their examples so far aa God hath 
prospered us,and made us stewards in his 



heritage. This church would have a pas- 
tor and would support him; you would 
not presume to live on the mere remnant 
of so noble a gift; you would contribute 
liberally of your own ; yes, you would 
support a minister, as the fathers did, on 
a liberal scale; you would scorn the idea 
of only four months preaching in the 
summer; you would not go from year to 
year without a communion season or a 
prayer meeting; you would take a deep 
interest iu the conversion of yQur chil- 
dren, and of your friends; you would 
soon awake to righteousness and delight 
in the law of the Lord, your God. AH 
difticulties would vanish, a kinder spirit 
would soon make place for a gi'acious 
awakening, and a precious ingathering of 
soids, bought with the blood of Jesus. It 
is well that you liave done whaty®u have 
towards the repai)'ing of this ancient 
sanctuary. May this be a beginning of 
better days. May the spirit of God 
cleanse and beautify your hearts. May 
the Saviour's love be shed abroad. Oh 
how mucli it is needed — the fathers, 
where are they? they are gone "the way 
whence no man returns." We are fol- 
lowinsr hard after them. Are we pre- 
pared ? Are our sins pardoned, and 
our names written in the book of life? 
May these reflections awaken within us a 
just view of the truth, of duty, of love to 
God and man, and of the blessed privilege 
of being with his people here, and with 
the redeemed in glory. 



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